


Of Sasquatches and Schoolmarms

by Rhydeble



Series: Of Wasps and Wizards [4]
Category: Parahumans Series - Wildbow, The Dresden Files - Jim Butcher
Genre: Gen, High-school misadventures
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:07:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24217147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhydeble/pseuds/Rhydeble
Summary: As war rages between supernatural and parahuman forces, Harry Dresden and Taylor Hebert are doing odd jobs for income. Their latest client? A real-life Bigfoot, that's afraid something might happen to his son at the kid's fancy boarding school. Now there's nothing left for Taylor but to go undercover face her greatest fear, fellow teenagers.
Series: Of Wasps and Wizards [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1699945
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	Of Sasquatches and Schoolmarms

Just over two months ago, when my mentor had gotten himself kicked out of the Protectorate, he’d told me he had a plan. In fact, Harry had told me that the new plan was pretty much the old plan, before he’d gotten hired. As it turned out, in a city like Chicago, there were a lot of people willing to hire a man calling himself a Wizard for various odds and ends. Either because they thought he was a cape, because they knew he was an actual wizard, or because they had simply lost all hope and would take any help they could get.  
  
And, of course, the odd person who didn’t understand that a Magician was something different. Harry had tried figuring out the thing with the rabbit, but quickly ran into the problem that he didn’t even own the requisite tophat.  
  
Given the current state of the nation—what with magic being revealed to the general public, and there being a war going on with actual vampires—I’d assumed we’d get some odd jobs, maybe some dangerous ones, missions against deadly creatures that would test my mettle even more than the black court crone Mavra had. What I had not expected, was that a mission we’d gotten from a Bigfoot of all people (He’d paid in gold, as all Bigfoots (Bigfeet?) do.) would be my most difficult challenge yet.  
  
I was being sent into a place where my teacher couldn’t follow, and where I would be surrounded by some of the most terrifying creatures on the planet, in their natural environment.  
  
I dreaded it. I truly did. But I was a witch, I was going to be on the White Council some day. I’d faced Leviathan with nothing but a shoddy scythe. I’d fought shapeshifting Hexenwulves, powered Vampires of the Red court, and an undead witch that was centuries old. Hell, I’d even faced a Belsnickel and lived to hear Harry tell the tale.  
  
I swallowed, trying to move the brick down my throat again, and moved up the clean marble stairs. The great glass doors shifted to the sides, moving as if by magic, and I entered Saint Mark’s Academy for the Gifted and Talented.  
  
High-school. Was there anything that could be worse?  
  
  
  


*****Of Wasps and Wizards*****

  
  
  
_**Several days earlier**_  
  
“So, I’ve got some great news,” Harry said as he entered our new apartment in a hurry, with the kind of grin on his face that I’d thought was reserved for the release of new Star Wars movies.  
  
“You finally got laid?” Tattletale asked from a pedestal in the corner. “No, wait, TMI, TMI, let’s not go there.”  
  
“I thought you always went there?” Bob asked from the other side of the room.  
  
“This one specifically is worse,” Lisa said. “So just… no.”  
  
“I have to agree on that one,” Harry agreed, a finger stroking the beginning of a beard. Lisa had been trying to get him to grow one for months now—presumably for a bet with Bob—and had finally succeeded by claiming people would be more likely to hire a wizard with a beard, citing a complete lack of market research and her powers. For now, it just made him look like an edgy double from a mirror universe that couldn’t quite grow a proper goatee.  
  
At least he hadn’t bought a pointed hat.  
  
“So, what is it?” I asked, fingers tapping against the cover of my book, an old tome that had been scribbled in by half a dozen different owners over the years..  
  
“Some new supernatural hotty?” Bob interjected giddily.  
  
“Bigfoot,” Harry replied, which was followed by a sigh from Bob’s direction. How, exactly, Bob could make a skull sigh could only be explained by magic.  
  
“Sexy lady Bigfoot?” he finally asked, but Harry only shook his head in response, finally taking the time to take off his cloak and drop his bags, whisking the rainwater away with a single swipe of his staff.  
  
“And does Bigfoot pay the big boy bucks, or are we back to my dastardly new plan?” Lisa asked. “Because it feels like a lifetime since I last robbed a bank.”  
  
“He does,” Harry continued, taking a large yellow rock out of his pocket.  
  
No, not a rock. The other thing, the obvious thing.  
  
“Please tell me we’re using it for the shower instead of another circle,” I said. “Because again, I also have to live here now.”  
  
“Yes, I know,” Harry said with a pained look in his face. “But safety before comfort, especially in a new house. We’ve barely got a threshold here, we needed that circle!”  
  
I knew he had a point, of sorts. After what had happened last Christmas, we’d had to move into a new place, and while Harry’s leftover money from his old job at the Protectorate had paid for a high-rise apartment, he’d never really finished high-school maths, and had forgotten about renovating that apartment after buying it. And yes, while we’d had almost no threshold to speak off, that didn’t mean our circle needed to be quite that elaborate, especially because some people around here actually liked to have warm water in their showers. The apartment was fine, but the walls were bare and we’d brought little beyond the barest of essentials, folding chairs and a table.  
  
“So, what kind of job pays in gold? The kind where we do something dangerous?” I asked. I wasn’t exactly sure where Bigfeet fell on the power scale, but if he couldn’t solve it himself, it had to be a big deal  
  
“Depends on how you define dangerous, but probably not,” Harry replied. “The pay isn’t in the rate but in the hours.”  
  
“So you’ll be busy for a while?” I asked. “Because I’ve been working on this thaumaturgical networking spell to enhance my range, and I can’t get it working, so it’d be nice if you could actually sit down and be a teacher for a bit?”  
  
“Well, about that… It’s not me that will be making the hours,” Harry said. “Mostly because I look horrid in a miniskirt.”  
  
I raised my eyebrows as Lisa started laughing, knowing something she didn’t.  
  
“Bigfoot’s got a son. A half-foot, so to speak, born to a human mother.”  
  
“Ouch,” Bob interjected, and I could almost feel Lisa wince.  
  
“And the guy’s worried about his kid. Some sort of dream vision telling him the boy’s in trouble, somewhere in the upcoming months.”  
  
“And the skirt comes in where exactly?”  
  
“It comes in at the part where he doesn’t do the research,” Lisa interfered. “The uniform doesn’t have a miniskirt at all.”  
  
“Awwwww,” Harry said, looking down as he plonked himself down onto their couch. The good one I’d brought from Susan’s apartment after she’d gone to South-America, not the ratty one Harry had brought from his place.  
  
“So, what exactly is the job?” I asked, not at all liking where this quickly seemed to be going.  
  
“Enter the kid’s school, and keep an eye on him while investigating the source of the danger.”  
  
“And when I find it?” I asked. “Just zarp?”  
  
“Maybe,” Harry said. “But It probably won’t be all that easy. There’s been a lot of buzz about Saint Mark’s Academy in the supernatural world, especially with the war going on.”  
  
“Makes sense,” Lisa said. “With the government on the lookout for any kind of supernatural nasty it can find, either to arrest or to pressgang, there’s safety in numbers. If a few of them send their spawn to a fancy boarding school, the rest of them is sure to follow, under the assumption that it’s relatively safe there and that they won’t be hunted down.”  
  
“Which leaves us with a magical powder keg of possibilities,” I noted. Sure, things were calm right now, but back in Brockton Bay, I’d seen firsthand how quickly a powder keg could start exploding.  
  
“So you’ll have to be careful when taking action,” Harry said. “Unsubtle actions can create more problems than they solve.”  
  
“Unsubtle actions like walking in there as a known wizard-for-hire, blasting rod in hand,” I said.  
  
“Exactly, which why we’ll be sending model high-school student Taylor Hebert instead,” he said. “Due to the influx of magical students, their administration is as leaky as a very leaky bucket. A problem, and an opportunity. You can, of course, always call me if you need back-up, but this is going to be your first proper solo mission as a wizard, a wise one. Get in there, get a lay of the land, and act surgically to solve whatever problems you find, without anyone ever even suspecting it was you. Think you can do that?”  
  
I thought about it, pondering the question in my head. A personal mission, a chance to really prove my worth, a step closer to earning my own place on the White Council? That sounded good, but what about the mission itself? On the one hand, my powers meant I was perfectly positioned for a mission like this. Before, I’d heroed while drinking tea in a cafe two blocks away. Now, I’d do so while actively hiding among the rest of the students. There was little danger involved, and even if things got out of hand, I could ask Harry to drop by and blow stuff up. Worst came to worst, we still had some pull with the Protectorate when things came down to it.  
  
Personal attacks though… A school setting would leave me vulnerable to those. It was a situation in which I’d have to constantly watch her back, make sure that no-one could sneak up on me during class, at lunch, or in any other situation. A subject that, sadly, I already had quite a bit of experience in. Then again, it wasn’t like things could be any worse than they used to be, and it had been almost a year since I’d last gone to a school, maybe things wouldn’t be so bad.  
  
“So, what’s the name of the kid?” I replied, steeling her mind for an oncoming storm. I could do this, I would do this.  
  
  
  


*****Of Wasps and Wizards*****

  
  
  
The buildings of Saint Mark’s academy were remarkably clean and well kept. The walls were sturdy, the garbage bins were clean, and the exterminator had done a very good job of keeping infestations from setting in. For the faux-Greek style they were going for, everything was remarkably modern.  
  
All of which only meant that I had a slightly less ludicrous amount of bugs to work with, even discounting the ones I’d brought along. As I explored the hallways of the school, making me way to the administrative office, my newfound army explored the nooks and crannies of the school, roaming between a myriad of pipes and cables, under lockers and inside of storage closets, finding the quickest paths and the best surveillance spots. At the same time, dragonflies were transporting in a small horde of highly specialized bugs. Black Widows in case of emergencies, or as a threat. Darwin’s Bark for wire, and a dozen other assorted little beasties with good ears, strong jaws or high carry weights.  
  
The school consisted of six buildings, laid out in a circle around a central field. There was a class building, A girls’ and a boys’ dormitory, the administrative building, the sports centre, and a fifth building used for a dozen different things, including after-school activities, the school library, and the nurses’ office. The central grounds had a large field, some trees, pathways and a football field, as well as an open-air theater. The whole thing screamed “rich kids”, though that wasn’t exactly reflected in the students I’d noticed so far. Sure, there were some following the stereotype, but from the way things looked, plenty of weird people had indeed flocked here, fleeing from the war currently raging between the American Army and the Red Court.  
  
A lot of strange students meant a lot of possible supernatural threats, but I’d created a plan to narrow things down together with Lisa.  
  
The easiest way to see which of the students were players, and which were just pawns in their game, was to stand out, and figure out their reactions. Of course, that meant standing out, which wasn’t the plan. However, anyone involved in the intricate balance of power that a place like this surely had, would be interested in anything that could upset that balance. Basic highschool politics 101, she’d said. I’d disagreed, arguing that high-school politics involved being a friend-betraying sack of shit, but that was besides the point.  
  
As dozens of eyes turned to follow the path of the new girl, thousands of faceted faces turned to follow those people in turn, memorizing their profile, their scents, the sounds of their voices. I’d have to take some time tonight to actually observe my targets, putting myself into a trance to actually see through my bugs, but I’d already identified a few of them. There was a group of nasty-smelling teenagers hanging out in a lonely corner, surrounded by an aroma somewhere between pot and wet dog, though I was pretty sure they weren’t Hexenwulves, as they didn’t have any belts or other magical artifacts with them. In the building that housed the club-rooms, someone was tracking me from behind a window, and a teacher currently playing basketball with a few students was-  
  
No, not him, not that fucking…  
  
I turned around, and started back towards the entrance. I could handle a lot of shit. I’d handled Lung, I’d handled Bakuda, I’d fought the Empire and I’d stood against Leviathan and lived. I’d dealt with corrupt cops, ancient vampire crones and a real-life demon, but I sure as fuck wasn’t going to deal with mister fucking G.  
  
“Are you alright dear? You look like you have seen a deathly spirit,” a voice sang out from in front of me, and I looked up to see one of the teachers I’d ignored before. Dark hair and a thin figure, she looked young enough that I couldn’t really call her a woman, but old enough that she wasn’t a girl or a young lady either, as if something didn’t quite match.  
  
“No, I’m fine, it’s nothing,” I replied. It was just a useless sack of pigshit given human form, nothing dangerous, no big deal.  
  
“I have to say, that is a pretty good trick,” the woman continued.  
  
Had I been found out already? Did she know about the bugs? About Lisa hiding in my bag?  
  
“But I know that you’re not fine, so take a deep breath, and give yourself a minute,” the woman continued, putting a hand on my shoulder. I could feel it, a spark between us, power touching power. She was a possible player in this game, and with my luck, she knew I was too.  
  
“It’s really alright, I can handle myself,” I replied, as I sought out other observers with my swarm. Who else was here, hiding, watching, ready to surprise me at any moment?  
  
“You must be Taylor then, right? I am Miss Ophonos, the drama teacher here at Saint Mark’s,” she said. “And I have to say, I think you could do great in our next production.”  
  
I looked at her, trying to figure out what she was on about, and it was as if her pale green eyes were seeing right through me. “I’ll think about it,” I replied, taking a few steps back.  
  
Ophonos just smiled, and clasped her hands in front of her, looking as I turned back towards the administrative building again, taking the long path, around Gladly, and eventually, my bugs caught a whisper. “  
 _I’ll see you again, soon, and we’ll see what you are capable of.”_  
  
  
  


*****Of Wasps and Wizards*****

  
  
  
“Well, that took a while,” Lisa said, getting herself settled on my new nightstand. Whatever kind of Bigfoot Harry had gotten this mission from, he’d been rich enough to get her a singles room, and a rather luxurious one at that, even including a canopy bed. It was utterly ridiculous, but I couldn’t complain about having some space to myself. Living with Susan had been fine, but her apartment had been a bit cramped. When she’d gone off for war correspondence, living with Harry had been worse.  
  
I crashed down on the couch beneath the window, already littered with way too many pillows. It was nice and soft and I could just dream away on it and…  
  
“No, the couch isn’t magical as far as I can tell,” Lisa said. “Though I have to agree, this room _is_ really nice, almost suspiciously so.”  
  
“I know right?” I replied. The sun had gone down during all the administrative work, but during the day, this place would be perfect for reading. Then there was the bookshelf, the little writing desk and the washing basin. There was even a carpet, under which I would be able to hide a magical circle.  
  
But first, I’d need to get started with my mission, which meant magic.  
  
“So here’s the plan,” I said. “You figure out what the hell Gladly is doing here, and who that Ophonos lady was. In the meantime, I’m taking a nice, hot shower.”  
  
“Makes sense,” Lisa replied. “I’d ask you for the wifi password, but it’ll be more fun to… done.”  
  
I gave her a smile, then grabbed a towel from the closet, where it was lying on a plank next to several uniforms. With my bugs, I checked the hallways between me and the bathroom, and snuck there without meeting any of the other students. I’d handle that some other time, when I was more prepared for it.  
  
An hour later, I was back in my room, wearing a set of bee onesie pajamas, a joke gift from Alec and his new Uncle that turned out to be quite useful.  
  
Clean and focused, I drew out a few lines of a ritual circle on the ground in silk, and sat down in the middle of it as lines of bugs started marching through and around it in a clockwise manner. Then, I closed my eyes, and formed a bond between my magic, my parasite, and the bugs of the school. Arcane lines flowed as bugs flew between buildings in patterns that mimicked those of the circle, and slowly but surely, I deepened my connection with every single one of them.  
  
For a fleeting moment, the swarm and I became one, seeing, feeling, smelling and thinking as one singular entity.I saw the students, the staff and the grounds in a thousand myriad ways. I knew who slept where, what they looked like and how they smelled, and what hallways went where, and all that knowledge was stored inside of the local swarm, there for me to reach as long as most of them remained intact.  
  
Moreover, in those few fractions of a second, my swarm gave me glimpses of power  
  
 _A man in a tracksuit, reading a book in an unknown language.  
  
A bulky, bruised boy, sitting on the floor of a shower.  
  
A rather attractive blonde with wild hair, laying her head down on the finely sculpted chest of a dangerous looking young man.  
  
A glimpse of dyed hair behind a tree.  
  
A girl hated by mosquitoes.  
  
Someone wearing a fencer’s helmet.  
  
A fish, crying itself to sleep.  
  
A girl angry with her adopted parents  
  
Someone with large eyes, fingers reaching for her, snapping-_  
  
I snapped my eyes open, feeling cold sweat drenching my pajamas.  
  
“What happened,” Lisa whispered. “Did you?”  
  
“With malice,” I replied, slowly standing up, my army cleaning up the remains of the circle as I slowly moved towards the bed. “I was just a fly… whatever it was, it… it likes hurting things, for no other reason than that it can.”  
  
Lisa made a soothing sound as I laid down on the soft mattress. I’d have to figure out a way to filter back what had attacked the bug whose eyes and thoughts I’d shared in that final moment, and I’d have my first target, the first subject of my investigation. The sooner I’d dealt with the danger, the sooner I’d be done with this place.  
  
“You know, I kind of miss the team right now,” Lisa mumbled from her iron shell.  
  
“Me too,” I agreed, as I untied the wraps around the bedposts, and let loose the apparently see-through curtains of the canopy bed.  
  
I knew what she meant, when she’d responded to the last things I’d said. Alec would probably have made the joke. Or maybe even Brian, if we were all in a happy mood.  
  
Hurting things, for no other reason than that you can. Yeah, that did sound like your average high-school student.  
  
“I really miss being alive,” Lisa whispered. “Not that I mind still being here, or not having to deal with all the squicky parts of a fleshy body, but there was something about it. Stretching your legs, getting a cup of coffee, the little things.”  
  
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. Maybe if I’d done better against Leviathan, or if we hadn’t beans-ed things up beforehand to the extent that an Endbringer thought our city was a juicy target.  
  
“It’s not your fault T,” Lisa whispered, “I’m the idiot that went against an Endbringer with nothing but a Thinker power. That brought you along while you had nothing but your bugs… Hell, I’m the one that manipulated you into being a villain instead of a hero.”  
  
“Lisa,” I replied.  
  
“Yeah T?”  
  
I sat up in the bed, and moved a hand through the curtains of the bed, gently grasping Lisa’s metal shell, and placing her on one of the other pillows.  
  
“If I shouldn’t blame myself, you shouldn’t either, okay?”  
  
“Okay,” she whirred as I laid myself back down, closing my eyes to the slow hum of her internal workings, the enchantments and circuitry that kept her bound to a solid body, and connected to the internet.  
  
We’d be fine here together.  
  
No, not fine.  
  
We were going to be great.


End file.
